Give me back my heart
by Green-san
Summary: A Child of fire meets with a Child of Ice, a meeting fated to be filled with emotions. But will they be able to handle them? Prequel to 'Can not belong to you'.
1. Chapter I

**This is the prequel to 'Can not belong to you', and tells what brought Eira and Zoro together. You can read it before or after reading  
'Can not belong to you'.**

**In this story, you'll get a better view of the world in which 'Heaven in Hell' is set, the Demons and Devils that populates it and how it's complicated politic is going. Since even if you hate it, politic pretty much runs out lives...**

**Chapter I**

Leaning his cheekbone against the knuckles of his right hand, the black haired male looked down at the young boy standing in front of his throne. Green hair and a stoic expression, he didn't even shiver as he looked up at the man sitting before him. And that was noted. Especially as the grown up men who had followed the boy from the Fourth Hell was shaking even as they tried their hardest to be still too.

"Well, welcome then, to the Frozen North. I hope that you will enjoy your stay here." Extending his left arm and showing against one of the giant windows in the hall, through which you could see an almost completely white scenery, he smiled a little. It didn't snow outside, and that probably had something to do with the guests. It wasn't unusual for the weather to act strange as other Devils was on a visit. He just hoped that it wouldn't cause permanent problems with a Fire Devil living here for a long time.

"Thank you." A light bow, and the boy payed his respect without bringing himself down. Such an arrogant child which had been put under his care... He measured the lad with his yellow gaze, and what he saw pleased him. This might not become such a boring task as he had thought when he had gotten the message that he would host a young political hostage.

"Now, I have some other things to attend to. Please visit the kitchen if you or any in your suite is hungry, otherwise, I will see you at dinner." Another bow, and the people left his hall. Closing his eyes, he listened as their steps carried them farther and farther away, until the big door finally was closed behind them with a thud which echoed in the now seemingly empty hall.

Opening his eyes, he looked to his left and into the shadows created by a red velvet drapery at one of the pillars. The light from the outdoors shone from behind it, and made the darkness even deeper. But he still knew that she was there.

"Are you having fun, eavesdropping on my meetings?" From the space between the stone and the cloth, a young girl emerged, about one year younger that the boy who had just left. Her black hair flowed down her back, only being hold from flying around everywhere by a hairband at the top which ended at the small of her back. In a simple red dress and boots, she could almost be taken for the child of a servant.

"I'm sorry, father... But I didn't hear so very much." As she took some steps against him, her eyes as glued to the ground, he smiled a gentle smile. This child of his always managed to make him forgive her, just by looking guilty.

"Sigh. Then, what did you hear?" When he had uttered those words, she walked up to him, standing even closer to him than his lifeguards. He guessed that this need of closeness had something to do with the fact that her mother hadn't been able to hold her for a long time before she passed away, as he picked her up and placed her on his left knee. Seeing her small hand reaching up and starting to play with the buckle in the shape of a hawk which held his cloak up, he couldn't keep from stroking some strands of hair which had escaped the band out of her pale face.

"Just that that boy is going to stay here. Who is he, father? What is his name? Why is he here?" The questions just poured out of her mouth, she didn't even breath before she was done and looked up at him, breathless.

"He is here as a guest from the Blazing Hell and his name is Lolonoa Zoro. He is one year older than you, so pay him respect during the time he lives here, okay?"

"And for how long is that?" She was sharp, he could see the glimt in her eyes which meant that she was calculating for how long she would have to act as the little princess she was.

"I don't know, until politics allows him to go home again, I guess." She made grimace at the last word, she hated it. It always just meant boring stuff, stuff which kept her father busy and made her have to act like someone she wasn't. As she jumped out of his lap, he raised an eyebrow at her, wondering what she was up too now.

"Can I go talk to him? Joshua is in the shed right now, so they might not find their way to the kitchen if no one shows them the way." The clear eyes looking up at him reminded him so much of himself, but also of her mother. Gods, how he missed her sometimes, he really had no idea of how to raise a child. But this was the reality, it was he who had the responsibility to help their daughter to grow up into a fine woman, whether she liked it or not. It was just that... It wouldn't hurt if she would get to have her freedom for just a little longer, right?

"Alright. But don't forget your piano lesson this afternoon, hm?" She shook her little head, hair moving and hands clutching at her skirt as she made a little clumsy obeisance.

"No father, I won't." Then she spun around and rushed to the door, banking on it to make the guards on the other side open it for her. He watched as she waved a 'thank you' to the man before she ran off, dashing though the long corridors and halls of the Castle at the End of the North.

~\+/~

"Attjoo!" The loud noise guided her towards their guests, and as she peeked out from around a corner, she saw them. About eight men, and that boy who would stay here, Lolonoa Zoro... _"What a strange name!"_

"Young master, you shouldn't wear so little clothes! If you're not careful, you'll catch a cold..." Tittering a little, she looked as they bended over their lord, all of them having a bit of a panicked look on their faces. Apparently they wasn't so used to caring for illnesses. Watching as he straightened himself and wiped some snot away from under his nose, she noted how stoic he looked as he stared at the men around him.

"As if! I'm not so weak that a little cold will disturb m- Attjo!" His oh-so-grown-up words were cut short by another sneeze, which forced him to bend over again. Irritated by his arrogance, she decided to take him back down to the ground. Walking around the corner, she met their surprised glances innocently.

"Ah, and who might you be, little girl?" One of them spoke up, scratching the back of his head as he smiled against her. Smiling back, she answered truthfully, just as her father always told her to do.

"I'm Eira."

"Well then, n-" His words were cut short by another man, who hit him in the back of his head and forced him to bow too.

"Idiot! Please excuse him, Eira-sama! He doesn't know who you are!" Pouting, she watched as all of them bowed before her to show their respect to the one and only heiress of the Cold North. Only the boy kept looking at her, not averting his gaze nor bending his head. Sighting inside, she motioned upwards with her right palm, to signalise that they could stand up again.

"It's okay, I don't care about that. But, are you guys hungry? If you are, I can show you to the kitchen!" A light shock played over their faces as they looked at her and then at their young master. He shrugged, a bored look on his face which irritated her.

"Sure."

Trying to ignore him, she turned around and waved with her left hand to show that they should follow her.

"It's this way!" As they walked along the hallways, down the stairs and through doors, the natural light from the white outside, which shone in through the big windows, were gradually replaced by lit torches hanging of the walls. It became warmer too, and the poor Fire Devils and Demons stopped to shiver as they went underground. For her, it was almost hot. But she was used to it, after having run down this way as long as she could remember, even if she preferred the cold snow outside.

As she pushed the door to the kitchen open, they were met by clatter and shouts, heat and strong smells hitting them almost like a wall. Inside the gigantic room it almost looked like a battle field, everyone doing everything while they screamed orders at each other.

"Oi! Where the heck is the pepper?!"

"Who took the last fish?"

"More wood to the fire!"

"Give me that steak before it burns, goddammit!"

She could never understand how the Ice Demons down here could stand the heat from the fires, nor how these rough men could prepare such delicious dishes. But they were some the best chefs in the whole Freezing Hell, and the warmth made their guests smile big, even Lolonoa seemed to relax as the fires crackled.

"Ah, Eira-sama! Who are these shit-heads?" The voice from one of her friends made her look to her right, smiling at the young cook apprentice as he walked over to them. But she didn't have any time to answer, before a loud voice made her and the others standing at the door jump high.

"Eggplant! Bloody brat, didn't I tell you to clean the floors?" The one-legged head chef grabbed the young devil by the back of his collar, lifting up the kicking boy in the air. Then he seemed to notice the others who stood there and looked at them, a shocked look playing over the faces of the strange Demons.

"Who are these people, Eira-sama?"

"Guests from the Blazing Hell, I thought that you might have some hot soup for them so that they won't freeze so much or catch a cold." Still smiling innocently, she knew that her words stung at the green haired boy and that he glared at her. She almost expected him to stick out his tongue against her, but that didn't happen.

"Well, I guess we could get something for you guys. What do you want?" Still standing with his blond adoptive son held up in the air, the cook gazed at the other males. "Do you want curry, or is a minestrone okay for you?"

"Ah, minestrone is fine with us. Right?" The man who had recognised her as Mihawk's daughter looked at his fellow soldiers, a little bit uneasy at the sudden offer. But all the others nodded as they felt their stomachs rumble at the tempting scents flowing from the many pots.

"And you, do you want some soup too or will you wait until dinner?"

"I'll wait." As Lolonoa said those words, she saw how Sanji grew irritated, his visible eyebrow being drawn against its invisible twin. As his step-father turned to shout at some of his chefs to get the soup ready, she heard him whisper.

"Spoiled brat."

And apparently the target for that insult heard it too, as he quickly shot back an answer.

"Dart-brow." Then, a full-scale fight broke out between the young boys as the Ice Devil wriggled out of Zeff's grip at his collar and kicked at the Fire Devil's head. Staring at them in shock as they became really violent, kicking and blocking, hitting and wrestling before the grown ups finally reacted and pulled them apart, she thought once again, that boys were really strange creatures.

~\+/~

It was too damn cold here! Shivering as he removed his shirt and pants before putting on a nightshirt, he cursed under his breath over and over again as the cool bit into his tanned skin. Sneaking down under the thick cover, he tried to focus some of his strength to make the fire in the hearth burn stronger as his teeth clattered. Watching as the flames rose even higher, he let out a satisfied sigh. Now it was getting better, as the bed also started to warm up by the heat his little body gave of.

The room he had been given was big, and it took some time to warm it up. But he was glad that there was a fur mat on the floor and thankful for the fireplace at the opposite wall. The bed was big and comfy, soft as snow he guessed. He wasn't really sure, he hadn't tried to lay down in a drift yet. Shifting and shivering as his legs came in contact with some chilly linen, he expressed his disliking.

"Why did I have to be sent to such a freaking cold place?" His words disappeared into the air and he stared up at the ceiling, unable not to think about and miss his warm room back at home. But it was no surprise that he had been sent here, he knew that even if he was quite young. Politic was boring and irritating as shit, but you had to get a grip on it early in this world if you wanted to run your own life. Otherwise, people would just move you around like a chess piece.

He had been sent here as a political hostage since the Blazing Hell was getting in a pinch with the Freezing Hell. And the reason it was just _him _who had been sent, was that his family was almost High Noble. Or they had been. Anyway, apparently the high ups in the Council of Fire had thought that it would be a good idea to send a firstborn son and at the same time humiliate the Fifth Hell in secret.

So now he was stuck in this ice castle until things got better between the two countries, unable to do anything but to just be. Luckily for him, the lord of this freezer was a famous master swordsman and he had said the he was willing to train Zoro. So when he got back, the youngster wouldn't be behind the ones of the same age as him in swordsmanship. He might even surpass them during his absence.

On the minus side, there was that irritating curly-eyebrow idiot in the kitchen. But he would probably keep himself down there, so he wouldn't be able to pester him all too much... And even if he did, the blondie would get to know that he lived if he ever started a fight with the green haired one again.

As he yawned big, he felt how the long trip he had done through the two Hells started to catch up with him. Tiredness made his limbs heavy, his thoughts started to become foggy as his eyelids started to fall down. The last thing he remembered, was that he wondered why he was thinking about the Princess, Eira. There was something about that girl, she irritated him, just not in the same way as the cook-kid. He just couldn't put his finger on it.

Slipping down into sleep, he started to dream of his home country, of the burning sun which gave every Devil and Demon their power and strength, made their inner fire burn stronger than anything else. This cold place with its pale sun and crystal white snow, it was no home to someone Born of Fire. And as he dreamed, the sky was clear of snow clouds, not a single flake falling down to the frozen ground.

The changes for this "freaking cold place" had started, and from now on nothing would be as they had been.

~\+/~

**This is how everything started, and the following four chapters will tell the rest.**

**Please review this, and tell me what I could have done better!**


	2. Chapter II

**I really hope that you will enjoy this, and tell me what you think of it!**

**Chapter II**

As the months passed by, almost peacefully as the calm was only disturbed by that blond idiot in the kitchen, the young Fire Devil soon found himself getting accustomed to the cold climate and the people living in the castle. The Duke had started to train him as he had promised, and the man was a merciless teacher, forcing the boy to surpass himself over and over again.

But between all those hard training sessions, the hostage still had to learn about other things as well, such as history and politics between the five countries. So here he was, sitting in a chair in a room filled with so many books that it almost could be taken for a library and staring out through the big window at the slowly falling snowflakes. It apparently was the start of a new season, ending of the previous hard one, which had been filled with hail big as marbles raining down from the sky. Leaning back in his chair, he listened as their teacher told Eira to recite the history of the Six Hells. Bloody damn, they had reiterated it so many times now that they could say it in their sleep.

Closing his eyes as she started to speak, he wondered if the old man would notice if he slept a little. But he probably would, and that would only result in Zoro having to recite instead, after getting a hit in the head by that gigantic book their teacher always carried around. So the boy just leaned back again and closed his eyes, listening.

"As the Almighty King ascended to this world;  
What He saw was forests and fields.  
Feeling the Dark Power rise inside of His heart;  
He started to shape these forests and fields;  
Into the sharpest of blades;  
Able to cut through flesh and bone of the Ones sent to Him.

Seeing His changing being enough;  
He picked up some dirt;  
Drew blood from His own arm and mixed it.  
From the clay He created;  
This time his very own Beings.

The ones who was given birth to;  
Was the First Devils;  
Strong and fierce with an immense thirst for blood  
And wings black as the night.

Seeing that they needed servants;  
He once again picked up some dirt and mixed it with His blood.  
This time he created the Demons;  
Awful creatures with claws as hands and tails as tridents.

He ruled over them for over five-hundred years;  
Before he moved on;  
Giving the power over the now Crimson Hell to the Council of Blood;  
And ascended down to the Second Hell."

"Do you want me to continue?" As she stopped to take a break after the first verse, he creaked his eyelids open and peered at her where she stood with the book in hands. She had her long black hair up in a ponytail, looking at the wise man with attentive eyes as she waited for his answer. The Fire Devil couldn't get how she always managed to be so friendly with everyone. Never had he seen her act badly or insolent against anyone during the time he had lived here, she was almost a bloody saint!

"Yes, read the second one too. Then Saga-kun will take over and read the third and fourth, after that Zoro-kun can take the fifth and sixth verse." Biting back a groan to avoid getting hit in the head by the book, he just wanted to bang his forehead into the table before him. Damn this was boring, sitting in a dusty old room as you had to learn about stuff which happened ten thousand years before you were even thought about.

She nodded and continued to recite, telling of how their Fallen Lord had made the Second Hell into dark seas and wild jungles, filled with beasts so terrifying that no one ever had been even able to even imagine them. And the Devils was granted the with whips and an ability to control these monsters, to make them obedient as little dogs and their serving Demons being even more horrible than the the ones in the First Hell. As the Dark King was satisfied, he gave the power to the Council of Beasts and moved on the Third Hell.

Then Saga, the son to one of Mihawk's closest advisers and a High Noble, took over and told about how He had created the Starvation Hell and the Blazing Hell. One being just a desert with an ever burning sun where nothing ever would grow, the other being filled with flames which rose up to the blood red sky and inhabited by Devils and Demons who controlled and lived by the Fire inside of them.

Hearing the creations of his own home, he got a tiny spark of home-sickness. Getting irritated by his own weakness, he stood up and started to speak of how this Hell had been created, with it's paralyzing cold and interring snow and ice. The old man stretched as he heard about his own race's creation, of how they had been given the Power over the Ice and Snow, and how they were the "purest of Hells" as it were the youngest known. But just as he was going to start the sixth verse about the Sixth Hell, the Eternal Hell where the King of Devils now ruled, a guard rushed the door open and panted his message as he leaned against the door frame.

"Hah, hah... Eira-sama, your hah, Godfather has come!"

"Ojisan!" Everyone looked shocked at the girl as she shoot up from her seat with an unusual energy, a expression of true excitment on her pale face, which for some strange reason made Zoro's heart skip a beat and some color rush to his cheeks. But in the next second he shook his head and tried to understand what happened to him, as she turned against their teacher.

"Sensei, can I go and meet him? Please?" A pleading look, and the old man was defeated.

"Ah, alright then. But all of you, remember the homework to next time, to write down the laws about using Magic!"

"Okay, see you next time, Sensei!" And with that she left, leaving everyone else behind as she rushed out with that joyful smile on her lips. Bewildered, Zoro looked at the violet haired boy to get some kind of explanation about the princess's strange and out of character behaviour.

"What was that about?"

"Come, I'll show you instead." Wrinkling his green eyebrows in confusion, he shrugged his shoulders and picked up the books lying on his desk as he followed his friend. "These people are really strange..." He muttered to himself.

~\+/~

"Ojisan!" Running over the lightly snow covered court with the skirt of her purple dress flapping around her legs, she jumped up at her Godfather, clinging to him like a big koala and pressing her face hard against his thickly clad chest.

"Woh! Easy, Eira-chan, you don't have to knock me over!" Clapping at her back with his big and blue hand, he smiled down at her before he placed her in the gap between his bent elbow and his broad torso, holding her easy like that. Snuggling closer, she giggled as the fur at the brim of his mantle tickled her nose.

"Please excuse my daughter, Jinbei, she's just too excited by your visit." Looking at her father who now had appeared on the courtyard too, she pouted against him and just reached up with her arms to try and hug the huge male who held her.

"Ah, there's no danger, Mihawk, I've missed her too." Still smiling, he lifted the little girl up so that she could give him a better hug, wrapping her small arms around his thick neck and carefully avoiding the sensitive openings at the side of his throat, which he used to breathed through under water. She didn't care if she acted indecorous right now, she was too happy to have the energy to care about it!

"How long can you stay, Jin-chan? 'Til after my birthday, please? I really want you to be here then!" Looking up at his for most terrifying face with her sparkling yellow eyes, hope written all over her little face as she gripped at his cloak, she tried to convince him to stay by just her willpower. Chuckling, he put her down and patted her on the head, her hand still gripping tightly at his clothes so that he had to stay bent down.

"I'll stay for about three weeks, then I have to go back home." Her smile faltering for a second, she released his mantle and looked down at the paved ground and the snowflakes which whirled around in the soft wind. But then she looked up at him and smiled big again.

"Then we'll just need to have as fun as possible, as long as you are here, right?"

Her optimism made him laugh out loud, as he took the hand she offered in his and looked at her father when his laughter had stilled.

"My friend, I don't think my gift can wait so much longer, is it alright to give it to her now?" She felt her eyes widening as she looked up at him. A gift that couldn't wait two days? What kind of gift was that?

Wrinkling his forehead in thoughts, the Ice Lord looked at his daughter's pleading face before he opened his mouth and answered. "Alright, if it can't wait."

"Yay!" Jumping up and down by excitement, she tugged at Jinbei's huge hand to try and make him hurry up and bring her her present, heart beating hard with anticipation. She didn't note that Zoro and Saga stood a little bit behind her father, watching her as Saga explained to the other boy that Jinbei was her Godfather, if anything happened to Mihawk he would take care of her. He also told that it was really rare for a Devil from the Second Hell to be chosen as a Guardian for a Child of Ice.

But even if she had knew they were she wouldn't have cared, just as little as she cared about the fact that her Godfather was from a different Hell than her, and that he practically couldn't be called a Devil anymore since his ancestors had blended with Demons so much. And that was said to be the fate of all Hells as time passed on, Demons and Devils mixing, blending their blood. It had happened in both the First and the Second Hell, and in the Third is was on its way, relationships between the Serving and the Ruling class becoming more and more accepted. That was the reason why this Hell was the only known one which could be considered "pure". Since it had even happened in the Blazing Hell.

"Well then, come here then Eira-chan." Turning against his suite which had already started to pack up and carry the luggage inside with the help of the Ice Demons, he waved against one of his men. "Hatchan, you can take out the her gift now."

"Nyu~ As you wish, Jinbei-san." The muffled up octopus man waved back and went over to a big hamper, carefully lifting it down to the ground from the back of the horse which was carrying it, as if not to disturb whatever was inside. Still holding her Guardian by the hand, Eira walked over to him just as carefully, trying to contain her expectation before this present.

Holding her breath as the lid was carefully removed by gloved hands, she looked down into it. Gasping as she saw the little hairball which lied curled up at the bottom of the basket, sleeping soundly on a carpet of hay, she released her hold on Jinbei and sank down to her knees so that she could touch the soft pelt with her little hand. As she stroke it gently, the small creature woke up and raised its head, blinking and waving the little brown ears which were located beneath the small antlers. Wrinkling its nose, which to her surprise were blue, the little reindeer sniffed on her hand groggily.

"Aw~ How cute..." Patting the little head, she looked up at her smiling Guardian and father, awe wrote all over her face. "Is he really mine?"

"Yes. We found him up in our North, apparently his herd had abounded him. Probably because of his blue nose and the fact that he is half demon. But you have to be careful, even if he is used to cold he is still very young and you have to take care of him." Listening and nodding to Jinbei's words, she patted the little reindeer's head again.

"I promise to take great care of him! But what's his name?" Looking at the little calf as he stood up on unsteady legs, she supported him by putting her hand under his stomach.

"Ah, that's for you to decide. He is yours after all."

Wrinkling her forehead in thoughts, she watched as her gift jumped out of the basket, shaking himself when he stood on the firm ground. He raised his head and sniffed in the wind, before turning against the boys who stood and watched them in silence.

"Tony Tony Chopper! That will be your name." Smiling big, she wrapped her arms around his hairy little neck and pressed her face close to him. Then, she nearly jumped out of her skin as he outburst:

"Ah! That tickles!"

~\+/~

Moving his glass in small circles, he watched as the amber liquid inside swirled, making the aroma rise up and fill his nostrils. The dancing light from the fire played on the shelves standing along the walls, deepening the shadows and illuminating the spines of the many books filling them up. It was a great library, consisting of texts from all of the Hells, of swordsmanship, philosophy and novels in a glorious mix. This was where they always held their little discussions, speaking of politic or whatever crossed their minds.

Averting his black gaze to his old friend and host, he opened his mouth and broke the silence which filled the big room.

"How is it going with having the young Fire Devil here? Zoro-kun was his name, wasn't it?"

"Yes, it is. And it goes just fine, there was a long time since I last felt such satisfaction in lecturing. Sure, Saga has potential too, but he will be nowhere near that boy's top when he reaches his peak."

Nodding as he got his answers, he took another gulp out of his glass. Hostages at the mere age of eleven, where was this world heading? He felt slight pity for the lad, as he thought about how it must feel to be so long from home in a place so different from ones own country. Damn, even he himself had some trouble with the cold, how bad wouldn't it then be for a Child of Fire?

Sighting, he stared up at the dark ceiling above. It was so high that not even the light from the fire in the hearth could lighten it up. His thoughts wandering off to the event in two days, mixing with their previous discussion about the current politic, he muttered to himself.

"Only six more years..."

"Did you say anything, Jinbei?" The voice of Mihawk pulling him out of his own inner monologue, he looked at his friend.

"Ah, just that you only have six more years of peace, before the suitors will start to knock on your door and wish to marry Eira." Watching as the others eyes grew darker and slightly more narrow, he waited for the response.

"Yes. Only six more years. Bloody hell, couldn't there be some more time? Why do we need to throw our children into this_ game _before they are even adults?" Feeling compassion for his friend as he voiced his opinion on the season system, which meant that on ones sixteenth year one had to start visiting balls and be available for marriage, he leaned forward in the big chair.

"I feel the same, but there isn't much we can do to prevent it. She _is_ your one and only heiress, and her husband will be granted with the power over the Frozen North."

"You speak of the truth. I just hope that she will be able to choose a strong one when the time comes, and not just some random weakling who charms her with beautiful words and promises."

"So do I. But when you think about her mother, I do not think that there is any danger in that, she will choose wisely." Smiling, the Fishman remembered some of the balls he had visited here in the Frozen Hell during Mihawk's courtship of his Bride. One could easily say that his future wife hadn't made things easy for him. Even if he had been one of the most coveted bachelor of all, she had held her distance and made sure that she knew him before she gave him her yes.

A rare and sad smile spread over the Ice Lords face as he thought about the mother of his child. Yes, his friend was right, she would choose wisely. Just like her mother.

~\+/~

**This is the one and hopefully only story where I need to make character changes...  
Since just as Ace needs to visit the solarium, Saga needs some white powder to pass as an Ice Devil XD**


	3. Chapter III

**So their time is pouring away, moving with the tide and pulling them closer to their fate and with that each other.  
****4 years have passed since the last time we met them.**

**Chapter III**

The soft thud of the little pile of snow falling from its branch wasn't heard by anyone, not even Eira who sat on the bench where it landed, as it was overpowered by the clangs of metal meeting metal with fierce movements. Rolling the winter apple in her hands to warm it up, she watched as Zoro attacked and tried to get a hit in on her father. But even if his master was the one backing away and only parring the attacks, the pupil was the one to lose this fight. Never had he managed to as much as scratch the older male, not even when his eyes glowed red by frustration and power.

She had to admire his determination and stamina, fighting in this cold without even a shirt on, just as his teacher. The warmth of his body oozed away, making steam rise from his very skin. Skin which was still tanned by a warm sun's kisses and under which taut muscles played with every movement he did, from the raising of his swords to the steps he took to try and outmaneuver his opponent. She didn't really know when or why, but watching him like this, as he fought and evolved, becoming stronger by each passing second, had became on of her favourite diversions.

_"At least he fights better than he dances..." _The thought made her grimace and wriggle her toes inside of the light shoes she wore, they almost ached already, even if the dancing lesson would be after lunch. At times like that, she actually preferred Sanji. He could really dance, lead with a soft hand. Even if all the flattery he had started to speak to her was becoming a bit irritating.

She didn't think her hair was as polished ebony, nor her eyes like clear amber. Still he kept telling her that, and many other things, so many things that she almost preferred to get her mashed as potatoes rather than dancing as the teacher said.

Since when she danced with the male who now fought as his life depended on it, even if was just a regular training session, she had to take totally different steps than she was instructed. And she really doubted that he was going to be able to dance even a simple waltz at the time of his own ball, as their teacher wished he would be.

Still, even if only one of them could dance, those two had really matured during these four years which had passed since Zoro came here. Or maybe 'matured' wasn't the right word, more like grown. Both had started to shoot into height, soon they would probably outgrow her. Chopper had told her that she most likely would end up about a head shorter than them when they had stopped growing, but right now that time seemed far away as they now was at the same length.

It had been really fun watching them, her own growing had been much calmer than theirs, only making her muscles ache and stomach hurt. They on the other hand had grown so fast that they had been unable to know what to do with their bodies, their regular fighting had been thrown off as limbs got longer and harder to control.

Sanji had lost much of his balance, having to train much harder to once again control of his legs and arms so that he could use the fighting style Zeff trained him in. The Fire Devil had had pretty much the same problem, him tripping over his own feet had been a pretty regular sight. Not to say about when their voices had started to change. That had been hilarious.

The clattering of swords hitting the paved ground brought her back to the present time, to when her father had the tip of his sword pressed against the younger male's throat.

"You've improved. But we are done training for now, it's soon time for lunch." Drawing his blade back and sheeting it, he threw an eye at her, watching her pick up the sword which lied closest to her and handing it to the green haired teen along with the apple she had warmed up. That had also became a regular thing, ever since that time Zoro had tried to eat a fruit directly of the tree, which had resulted in him getting a brainfreeeze.

Smiling a little against him and feeling some blood rush to her cheeks, she felt that funny feeling in her stomach again as their hands brushed against each other. She really couldn't understand this, but she guessed that it had something to do with that old saying, that no Fire and Ice Devil could meet each other without sparkling something. For him and Sanji, it was rivalry. But for him and her, she had no idea. All she knew was that every time she saw him smile, every time they touched or just was in the same room, her heart started to beat faster.

~\+/~

"You fought amazing as usual, Zoro! How the heck do you do that, keeping up with Mihawk for so long?" The sound of his friend's voice made him turn his head against Saga, meeting his gaze. Shrugging his shoulders as he closed hos eyes and pulled the shirt on, not really knowing what to answer. So he just said what he always said, and what was the truth.

"I just work-out, train whenever I can."

"Hah! So do I, but you still can hold out for about twice the time I can against the Duke." The jab on his shoulder brought a grin to his face, who could have guessed that he would find a friend here, in this freaking ice land? Not caring to hit back, he continued to button the white shirt before he got the vest and the tie on. Damn it was irritating with all these formal clothes, couldn't these people just be satisfied with wearing pants and something on the upper body? They were the ones who was used to this cold, yet their bloody fashion said that you had to wear a whole dining suit every darn regular day. And unfortunately for him, he had no chance what-so-ever to affect the clothes he got, but the Dark Lord should know that he had tried these four years.

As they finished dressing, he picked up the apple Eira had given to him and bit down into the juicy pulp. He had learned his lesson since that one time he had tried to eat a fruit directly from the tree, without warming it up before eating it. And there was something with the fact that it was _Eira_ who gave the fruit to him which made it taste even better, something which also had got to do with the fact that he woke up all sweaty at night with confused images in his head and his body feeling as it were on fire.

Clenching his jaw, he shook his head and focused on the movements of his own muscles, on what they had learned during this day's sword practice he tried to force those thoughts out of his head. He focused so hard, that he wasn't really aware of what his friend said.

"It's a shame that Hancock-sama is leaving tomorrow, isn't it?"

"Huh? Ah, it is?" The look he got as he took another bite of the fruit told him that Saga probably wondered if he had any eyes to see with, or was just plain nuts. But he had seen Mihawk's sister, and sure, she was beautiful, he would be an idiot if he didn't agree on that. It was just that he had also seen her use her magic to freeze men and women who gawked upon her into ice statues. And that, at least in his opinion, pretty much weighted up her gorgeous looks. Besides, he wasn't into older women.

"Are you blind or what? Lord, you must be the only male, or female for that matter, here, who thinks like that!"

"Well, if you wanna get turned into an ice statue that's fine by me, just don't drag me down too!" Both of them burst into laughter by that, the violet haired male clapping at Zoro's back.

"That's true... Oh well, she's not the only woman in this Hell."

"No." _"She really isn't..." _Still smiling and starting to speak about swordtactic instead as Zoro finished his apple, they kept walking towards the small dining room. Which was about seventy square metres. Yeah, these people really knew the meaning of the word humility.

Or, some maybe did.

A gentle smile, perfect composure and calm speech, only fourteen years old and already a lady. She never offended anyone, was always friendly to everyone, to lowborn guards and servants too. And she seemingly never did anything improper.

As now, when she stood and chatted with that curly-eyebrow freak. Hands folded, just smiling at his annoying flirting and fawning, gently brushing him off. Yet, the Fire Devil could see her irritation in the way her eyebrows slightly furrowed on her forehead, in how her shoulders were stiffer than usual. He had gotten pretty good at that, seeing through her charade of a perfect princess, ever since that one time during the second year he lived here.

It had been at the start of this Hell's summer, a time of wet snow which was perfect for snowmen and such. But it hadn't been him starting up that snowball war, really, it was the cook-idiot who threw the first one. And then it just escalated, more and more kids joining in, siding with either Zoro or Sanji. The fight had been even all through, neither team gaining the upper hand. Then, suddenly as the eyebrow had risen up to aim at his archenemy, a snowball had hit the blond straight in the neck, making him fall face first into the snow with ice water soaking his back.

The thing was, no one knew who threw that projectile. And short after that, the Fire Devil himself got hit. So did Saga, and Gin on the idiot's side. But the green haired boy had managed to see something when he got hit, a red skirt disappearing behind a tree, hiding away so that no one would see her. The sight had shocked him, until then he had only seen her act like the child she was only once, when her Guardian Jinbei had given her her reindeer Chopper.

After that he had started to try and see through her, and he had started to notice the fact that she hid her true personality behind a mask. That she actually enjoyed playing around, didn't like the lessons she had to take and that she smiled the most when she could play with Chopper under the excuse that her pet needed some exercise. But also that she truly was just as humble as she acted. Even as she had started to grow up into a beautiful woman, she never took any advance of the boys in the castle fawning over her. Even if she would have gotten away with it.

"Ero-cook." The new nick-name quickly gained the attention of its target, and in the next second they were at it again, ignoring everything around them to start and fight each other once again.

"What did you just say, shitty-marimo!?"

"Nothing, dart-brow, maybe you need to go wash your ears." Quickly blocking the kick to his head he aimed forward with his own fist, connecting to the other's chin. But Sanji soon found his balance again and kicked out once again, this time hitting where he should.

As they carried on, insulting and trying to bring the other one down, neither of them noticed as Eira sighted and muttered to herself.

"Why does boys always have to fight?"

Saga didn't notice either, standing at the side cheering on the Fire Devil and avoiding the fighting duo so that he wouldn't get tackled, jabbing in the air at his own invincible enemy.

"Come on, Zoro! Don't let him beat you!"

"Enough! It's time to eat, not fight." The commanding voice of this county's Lord suddenly rang in the air, making the boys' fighting come to a halt. Frozen in their movements, panting from the intensity of their quarrel, they glanced at him from the corners of their eyes.

Standing with his authority almost pulsating from the very fiber of him, there was no wondering how this black haired man kept his land independent from the rest of its Hell. He was imposing even now, when he wore what the fashion required and a slightly bored look on his face. But the sharpness in his eyes spoke greatness about his strength, he was not to take lightly anytime, anywhere.

To the left of the mighty Ice Devil stood his sister, the beautiful Juracule Hancock, known through all of the Hells for her stunning looks. Minstrels everywhere wrote songs and poems to her honor, all trying to compose something which could live up to her who was said to be the most lovely female in all history.

And behind her was two of the most feared warriors anywhere, the Snake Sisters Sandersonia and Marigold, Beast Devils who had sworn their loyalty to her. They came from the deepest and darkest jungles of the Second Hell, both standing taller than any male even in their formal form, putting even Jimbei to shame. This kind of allegiance, between a warrior from the Beast Hell and a High Noble from the Frozen was not an uncommon thing, as there was an ever raging war going on in the country. But with their terrifying allies and political advantage, the Juracule siblings had managed to keep their county safe for a very long time.

Forcing his muscles to relax, his body to stop being rigid like a doll's from nervousness, Zoro turned away from his fiend and faced the castle's ruler. And even if he kept his eyes of the other boy he knew that he did the same. Awaiting a lecture for their misbehaviour, the green haired teen tried to swallow down the thick lump in his throat.

But no scolding words were uttered as the older male just turned against the table and escorted his sister to her seat which was left to his own. As she sat down, Sanji seemed to find himself again and strode against Eira to offer her his arm. Smiling a little against the blond Devil, she let him take her to the table and pull out her chair.

Those simple actions made something start to boil inside of the boy who were there because he was a political hostage, and he felt how his eyes almost started to glow red and his nails turn into claws.

Shaking his head and ignoring the wondering looks his violet haired friend gave him, he went over to the table and sat down beside Hancock and directly opposite of the younger girl. Suppressing the dark burning and twisting feelings in his stomach, he took a deep breath and glanced at all the others sitting around the oblong table.

Saga's father, who threw his son a really not too pleasant look, sat beside Eira at Mihawk's right side. Other advisers and High Nobles sat farther down the table with their wives and young adults. The Princess was the youngest one here, and the only reason for that was her status. No child were allowed to abide in this room as the adults had their little assemblies.

The meal went on peacefully, as the two rivals ignored each other and only glared daggers whenever their gazes met. Both knew that the Duke's patience with them started to wear out, and that they would get to find out why the Frozen Hell was the worst Hell of the all known if they kept causing trouble. So the young Fire Devil kept his eyes at the fish laying on his plate for the most of the time.

"Zoro-san, what was that move you used at my father earlier?" The sound of a clear voice brought him out of his own thoughts, making him look up and meet piercing yellow eyes. They didn't hold the same sharpness as her dad's nor her aunt's, but was stunning to him. Realising that he was staring he cleared his throat and tried to think up an answer.

"It's just something I came up with the other day. I haven't named it yet."

"Maybe you should call it something with 'Demon'?" She lowered her gaze to her food, but he could see that little smile which played in the corner of her mouth. And yes, his eyes had glowed red when he used that move, but she didn't have to tease him about it did she?! Grinding his teeth together, he answered.

"Maybe." And suddenly he was glad that they were going to have that dance lesson after this, then he could get a little bit of revenge at the girl who played an innocent damsel all the time.

~\+/~

"No! Not like that, it's one-two-three. Not one-two-thee-four!"

She hated that little smug smile which played over his thin lips, hated it even more than the pained sensations which ran through her poor feet. Apparently the Fire Devil had decided to get back at her, since he was even worse than he usually was when they danced to this piece. But she clenched her teeth and fought to keep an unruffled face, to not show how it affected her to get her toes mashed beneath his big foot. But inside she prayed that Jango-sensei either would let her dance with Sanji, or even Saga who would be better than this, or let her take a break.

"Geez, let's take it from the beginning, _again_." _"Lucky star, my butt!" _Cursing that old woman who had said that she was to take up her late mother's luck and add it to her own, so that she would get to live a blissful life, she took the right step and directly got crushed. Apparently the old hag hadn't counted with her having to take dance lesson with someone who didn't know his right foot from his left.

"Watch it." As she whispered under her breath she felt his warm and calloused hand tighten at the small of her back. A sensation of heat and cold running up her spine almost made her forget about the pain, but she ignored the speeding of her heart and looked to the side to avoid to look at his hard face.

"Sorry..." When had his voice started to sound so... So deep? Fighting back a blush she answered through gritted teeth.

"You're not." She didn't need to look at his face to know that he had started to grin at her, so she glanced at Chopper instead. Her little pet sat in his hybrid form alongside the pianist on the piano seat, watching as his mistress tried to dance. Or more like when she was hindered to do so. He had taken a break from his medical studies and was now waiting for a chance to take a look at her feet. And she really needed that.

But their sensei seemed to be in an almost sadistic or determined mood today, as he just told Brook to repeat the piece once and over again. Sighting, she twisted her foot as they took the first steps, since she knew that she wouldn't be able to stand it anymore if her toes got even more crushed. She really suffered along with all the other poor girls who would have to dance with Lolonoa.

Going on like that, stepping to avoid his shoes she actually managed not to have to endure so much more pain, but instead she got oh so much more aware of the fact that waltz was danced in a closed position, and that they therefore never stopped touching each other. Heart beating fast and hard, pink creeping up her cheeks she tried to swallow down a thick lump which had started to form in her throat. But it didn't work. Then she tried to summon a little of her ice magic to cool herself down, but it was met by his fire. The clash went unnoticed by the others it seemed like, the blond and the violet haired males still chatted about her aunt, but for her it felt like water ran down her skin, making her shudder at the feeling.

As she glanced at his face to try and make out how he had reacted to it, she couldn't get him to meet her gaze. Neither could she read his expression, clenched jaw and flared nostrils, he seemed like he was ready to kill someone. But for some reason it didn't frighten her, instead she just summoned more of her ice and smiled at the burning glare he shot her.

She loved playing around, and she knew that he knew that. And that was the biggest cause of her irritation over him, it was even worse than his terrible dancing skills or constant fights with Sanji, that he had seen through her and teased her about it, trying to make her lose her mask. So for once she couldn't resist her instincts but kept pushing him, even if the consequences most likely would be dangerous.

And his answer didn't let her wait, but for an instant his eyes flashed red as blood and then she felt once again how her cold melted, their matched powers running down her body in a way which made her gasp. She could understand this, how it happened and why it did. But she couldn't make out her own thoughts anymore as she felt his breath on her skin and his grip on her hand tightening, making her head feel foggy. She knew her cheeks must be bright red right now, since she felt how the blood burned under her skin.

"Eira..." Hearing her name whispered hot and rough, she lost herself. If it hadn't been for Zoro holding her up, she would have hit her head in the black marble floor, and not even a Devil could heal that kind of wound quickly. She could hear how the others panicked above her, but the blond Devil's shouts sounded like they came from far away through a tunnel, and the hoof touching her forehead went unnoticed to her clouded mind.

All she could make out was the arms putting her down gently, and how she missed their warmth. Yet, she couldn't stop the words from falling from her lips, so silent that only he could hear it.

"Damn you..." But it was only met by a chuckle and then she was gone, having fainted from the magical clash of Fire and Ice.

~\+/~

**How long time will have passed to the next time? Only two more chapters to go, before we will start on  
'For you I will'...**


	4. Chapter IV

**Pain is a part of becoming an adult, but sometimes that is very hard to accept. Yet, it still happens, your heart always bleeds for some reason or another. Two more years has passed, and the final meeting is closing in.**

**Chapter IV**

"Eira, listen to me now. You ha-"

"No father, I don't want to listen to you, I want you to leave. _Now_." Chopper glanced over at his proprietress and he could almost see how the air around her crisped, turning into crystals of ice. She pointed at the door with her right index finger, directing her father out of the room. Never had the reindeer seen her act as she had today, her cold fury moving just beneath the surface, threatening to explode and attack with the force of an avalanche, and it scared him. At her shoulder blades black light gathered, her power being ready to manifest in the Devil's trademark wings.

And Mihawk didn't seem to know how to handle it either, as he sighted and left as she said, knowing that he couldn't get her to listen to him right now. Not after what had happened.

When the door closed behind him with a click, her arm fell down and her shoulders slumped like he had hit her. But it wasn't she who was hurt. Watching her turn around and walk over to the bed and the man who lied upon it, her pet followed her with a new bowl of water.

Watching as she softly traced the torn skin and muscles with her fingertips, letting her magic flow into the body to cool it down at bit, he swallowed down and extended the bowl towards her. She threw him a little smile as she took it and placed at the table beside the sickbed, speaking up as she did so.

"It isn't really as bad as I think, is it?"

Shaking his little head, he answered as he put his stethoscope in his ears and climbed up at the bed.

"No, Kokutou Yoru is really sharp, if it just gets time to heal it will go fine. And he won't get any detriment of it either, but there will definitely be a scar." Pressing the little metal plate against the older male's chest, he listened to the even beat of his heart. He saw from the corner of his eye how a pale and slender hand removed the wet piece of cloth which lied upon a tanned forehead.

Raising his little head and waving his ears as he removed the headphones and put it around his neck, he watched as she wrung the water out of the cloth. Then she dipped it into the new bowl and squeezed some of the cold water out, before placing it back at the man's forehead. Her hand lingering, stroking some the short green hair, she sighted and murmured to her furry friend.

"Chopper, why do men always go such foolish lengths for honor?"

"I-I don't know..." The question took him by surprise and he really didn't know what to answer. But he truly wished that he knew, as he saw her pained expression. Her eyes held such sadness and worry, such pain, that he almost wanted to check her too to see that she wasn't hurt anywhere.

Looking up at her, he remembered how she had reacted when they found Zoro lying bleeding on the ground before Mihawk, who's blade was stained by blood. The sight had put her into a state of pure shock, she had just stared at them as if she was frozen at the very spot where she stood.

But then she had shouted, in a voice cold as ice which chilled the reindeer to the bone, at her father to go away, and Chopper to get the bleeding male inside. Never had he thought that she was capable of such feelings, nor the curses she had muttered as she helped him care for the wound. And now she was tending to Zoro with such gentleness that he almost thought that it wasn't Eira he saw, but an impostor.

Pulling back her hand, she sighted and looked up at the ceiling. He wondered what she thought about, if she found any answers as she closed her eyes and gripped at her skirt.

A knock at the door made both of them turn their heads, and watch as the blond cook opened the door with his foot, carrying some plates with food, two glasses and two bottles in his hands. Before she had a chance to rose up and help him, the little half-demon had jumped down at the floor and grown to his formal form and grabbed the two bottles.

"Ah, thank you, Chopper. Eira-sama, I thought that you might be hungry by now, since dinner was half a hour ago, so I made you some delicious lasagna."

"Thank you, Sanji." She rose up with a gentle smile and took one of the dishes from his hands before she sat down again. As the other Ice Devil changed how he carried the remains, the reindeer sat down in his hybrid-form at the edge of the bed, digging in on the pasta. After serving the princess a glass of wine and her pet a glass of juice, he went over to the window, creaking it open so that he could smoke.

"How is he?" He nodded against the male lying on the sickbed, taking a drag on the cigarette he held between his long fingers.

"He's fine. As long as he sleep and let the wound heal, he won't have any problems at all." Gulping down the juice, the little reindeer wiped his mouth with the back of his little hoof. He was surprised that Sanji asked, as it seemed like he and Zoro wanted to kill each other most of the time.

Like when their ball had taken place. It had been decided that they would share one, and neither of them had seen very happy about it. Well, the Fire Devil hadn't been happy about having a ball at all, but as he had to share it with the other man it just got worse.

Chopper wasn't so accustomed to the 'Sweet 16'-balls, but he was pretty sure that breaking the buffét table wasn't part of the tradition.

And in just a week Eira's would be held, and with that she had promised that they would celebrate his sixth birthday. Even if it wasn't really the day he had been born, but actually the day he had come here, she had prompted on her father to let her have a little private party for him. The very thought made him giggle with happiness, blushing a little beneath his pelt.

As soon as Zoro woke up and was healthy again, everything would go great, he just knew that!

~\+/~

Three days later, the little doctor student let his patient up from the bed, allowing him to walk around in the castle. And for the moment, said patient walked in the same grove where he had gotten his injury, along with the girl who had helped treating him during his convalescence.

The sky was high and clear blue, you could actually feel in the air how the spring was closing in. But it still felt weird using the words 'spring' when it just meant that the snow would become softer and the climate slightly warmer, so you could make snowballs. Still, even if the snow never left the ground, there were flower buds on the appletrees' branches, ready to burst into bloom.

But no matter how nice they were, it still couldn't take his mind of the girl walking next to him with her arms and a dark embroidered shawl wrapped around her. She hadn't said a word to him, not even when he was lying in bed. The silence were broken by birds chirping, but it couldn't take away the heavy feeling wich lay in the air.

"Why?" The single word made him stop and turn to look at her where she had stopped. She didn't look him in the eye, but instead held her gaze as glued to the ground. He sighted, it was no mystery what she asked about.

"Because I told him to fight me serious, to not hold back for one bit." As she raised her head and stared at him, the anger and pain which were written all over her face made him feel like someone had punched him in the stomach. Her bottom lip trembled as she opened her mouth to speak again, and he wanted just to make her stop.

"And why _the hell_ did you do that!? You know he is much stronger than you and that it would just end in disaster!" That she cursed made him raise an eyebrow in surprise, but then he took a step towards her and replied.

"Yes, I know that he is stronger than me. And that's why I wanted him to fight me seriously, so that I would get to know how much longer I have to go."

"Even if it kills you!?"

"Yes!" Now they stood so close that they almost touched, and he felt how he started to lose some of that control which he was so proud of, his voice growing louder just like hers. But he couldn't hold it back, she had no right to criticize him and they way he lived!

"Idiot!" Her right hand shoot up to slap him in the face, but he caught it before it made contact with his cheek. The glare she shoot him was filled with anger, but also with tears. And that shocked Zoro even more than the fact that she had tried to use brute force against him.

"What is pride worth if it kills you!? Why, why do you need to do such bloody stupid things for it...?" Tearing her gaze away from him and squinting her eyes tightly shut, she tried to pull her hand free and get away from the closeness between them. But she couldn't see where she put her feet, and in the next second she felt how she lost her balance and fell as her right foot slipped on an ice spot.

In an attempt to save her from falling, the green haired Devil took a step forward, only to slip on the very same spot. And before they knew it, both of them had fell down into the pile of snow.

Groaning at pain which shot through his torso from his still healing wound, he rose up to out his weight on his hand instead for the body beneath him, Zoro tried to shake the snow of from his face. Then, as he looked down he felt how that dark side of him came to the surface, spreading through his body.

The female under him was panting from the sudden tumble, and as she opened here eyes he saw how a light pink started to creep up on her pale cheekbones. Their bodies were pressed together, him on top of her and keeping her down.

"Z-Zoro..." The sound of his name, falling as soft as snow from her tempting lips broke his resolve and sent something carnal rushing trough his body like wildfire. Intertwining their fingers instead of gripping her hand, he closed his eyes and leaned down to finally claim those cold lips.

He felt a shudder running down his spine as he did what he had dreamed about so many times, and when her left hand ran though his short hair and she kissed him back, he felt like he was in heaven. Trying to move even closer to her, the fire which always burned inside of him tried to melt her, tried to make her as hot as he felt. But the try was met by ice, and when he licked her lips to ask for entrance, she kept shut.

Growling at the teasing, his right hand started to wander down her body, stroking her soft curves through the blue dress. As he hit the last of her ribs, a shudder ran trough her and she moaned into his mouth. Taking advance of the opportunity, he slipped his tongue inside of her cavern and tasted her.

Lord, had he though just kissing her lips was heaven? He had been all wrong. Her mouth and tongue which met his were warm and soft as velvet, not cold as he had thought, tasting like mint and honey. He didn't want to stop to explore, but their lunges screamed for oxygen. As they broke the lip lock both of them panted and their breaths stood as smoke from their mouths, even Eira's. Her eyes were clouded and the pink on her cheeks had become bright red, making his heart swell by pride.

Watching her lick her lips and attempt to say something, he grinned and pressed his lips to her neck, trying to heat her up once again. And instead of words, a moan rose from her lips.

Luckily, you couldn't see this part of the garden anywhere from the castle, the trees' branches shielding it from view. Since if anyone had seen him kissing his way up the princess throat towards her ear, he would have been decapitated without any ceremony what so ever.

When he failed to come up with something to say, he blew some hot air over the outer shell, before licking at it. His ministrations made her shiver and a groan left her lips sounding fairly close to his name.

"Zoro... St-stop it~" Grazing her earlobe gently with his teeth, he then whispered in her ear.

"Why?"

"Be-because someo..." Cutting of her stuttering voice by kissing her again, he stroke her left hip before wandering down her firm thigh. She was really nothing like that little girl he had gotten to know six years ago... As another shudder ran through her body, she wrapped her left arm around his neck and kissed him back, failing at trying to push him away.

"Eira! Where are you, Hime-sama?" The loud voice of their dance teacher broke the mood, and they broke the kiss, staring into each others eyes. He could see her swallowing down hard, and when she found her voice the red on her cheeks intensified.

"I-I'm here! Wait a minute! Move." The last she whispered with a panicked tone in her voice, showing at his chest. Fighting back the urge to keep her down, the swordsman rose up and pulled her up with him, before starting to brush the snow of her.

Quickly shaking him off, she leaved him behind and hurried over the paved path with the light snow whirling around her. Standing still, he watched her leave, unable to do anything but bite his cheek until he bled so he didn't follow her and did something really dangerous. Like holding her close and kissing her in front of someone. But he couldn't keep from watching her hips move from side to side, thinking, that the little girl he knew soon was a fully grown woman.

~\+/~

"Ah, yes, it will be wonderful with those flower arrangements. Please make more of them!" Smiling on the outside, inside she was in chaos as the serving woman left. What had that kiss been about? It was her first, what right had he to steal it without her content?! Not that she had complained about it...

_"Wonder how he could get so good at kissing..."_ Shaking her head she tried to erase the memory, but it stayed as wine on satin. No matter what she did she could still see it, remember how his body had felt against hers, warm and hard.

Knowing that she would start to blush soon if she didn't do something about it, she walked over to one of the big windows in the ballroom and put her left hand upon the cold glass to cool her down. Everywhere in the giant hall people were rushing around, cleaning and setting up decorations to her big debut. Just thinking about it made her stomach hurt.

She really didn't want to do that, be available to marry of to some aristocrat just because of politic. Blame it on all those romantic books she had read about true love, but she really wanted to marry a male she loved and could support with her whole heart. Someone who made her feel alive, who listened to her and didn't try and change her into someone she wasn't. Someone like...

Realisation struck at her and she clenched her hand into a fist, her reflection showing how her cheeks began to change color into coral as she lowered her gaze down to the floor. She wanted someone like Zoro. The Dark Lord may help her, but she wanted someone like that Fire Devil, who with his heat could make her heart melt and speed up with just a touch, just a glance. She cared about him more than she ever thought was possible. Even if she knew how important honor and pride was, the very thought of him dying because of it made her see red.

Not paying attention of the world around her, she suddenly heard how someone stopped behind her. Looking up at the window to see in the reflection who it was, her heart skipped a beat to then get stuck in her throat.

_Lolonoa Zoro._

Not meeting his gaze in the window, she tried to make her blush go away as she turned her head away.

"Yes?" The word came out almost croaked, and she bit her bottom lip in frustration. Why couldn't she just be as usual!? Fighting back the urge to run away and hide, she stayed put. Then she heard him sight, and the sound made her wonder what it was about.

"Just so you know, I'm not regretting anything. But if it made you uncomfortable, I'll apologize to you, if you want me to."

Hearing him say that, that he would apologize if she wanted him too, shocked her deeply. Her head shoot up and she met his gaze through the reflection in the glass. And she could tell that he was sincere about it. Swallowing, she tried to think up something to respond, and before she could stop herself, she spoke.

"I'll forgive you, if you promise not to crush my feet at the ball." She saw him arc his eyebrow at her, so she quickly continued before she lost her courage.

"Dance the second dance with me without stepping on my feet, then I'll accept your apology." She blushed like mad, her fist on the glass trembling as she awaited his answer. What the heck was she doing, why did she ask him to do that!? And why did she want him to say "yes" more than anything else?

So focused on the tumult inside, she didn't notice as he leaned forward and whispered in her air, making a shiver run down her spine. At the Fallen King, was this how love felt? Hot and cold all over, heart racing and no care about others?

"Okay, it's a deal then."

"Eira-sama, can you come and look at this?"

"Ah, yes!" Forcing her legs to work, she walked past the green haired teen, but shoot him a smile which she hoped told him that she was happy about promising away the most important dance of all during her ball to him. Then she hurried away towards the female who had called for her, heart pounding so hard that she almost thought it would break.

~\+/~

**As I said, pain is a part of life. But we gotta live through it, since in the end we'll be happy for the strength it gave us. The thing is to see the positive things.  
Have a Merry-merry Christmas and a Happy New Year everyone, please take care and give me a review in Christmas gift X3**


	5. Chapter V

**[Please note that the rating has gone up. It was done for a reason, this chapter contains some mature-themes. You have been warned.]**

**The last of this tale is now to be told, of how Eira and Zoro met and started to love each other. **

**Happiness and sadness, they walk hand in hand when you let your love go to where he or she belongs. But if you never stop believe in them or their feelings, then you can meet again.**

**The last jump has been done, two more years has passed, filled with...?**

She really didn't know what to say as she heard him open the door and step inside of the room. So she kept talking to the tailor, keeping her hands occupied with the golden silk in her hands. Another dress was made, another ball was planned. But this one was going to be very different from all her earlier. Forcing those thoughts aside in her head, she smiled at the bearded Demon as he picked up all his things and started his sortie, as their discussion about his work now was finished.

"Well then, Eira-himesama, I'll have it done by the next occasion you will attend to."

"Thank you, please take your time. There is no reason to hurry." _"Or please do hurry, I'll need every little thing which can make me smile then, even if it's just a beautiful dress..." _

Bowing, he and his helpers walked past her towards the door to the big corridor, never turning their backs at her. And she in her turn, also moved with them so that she could follow them with her eyes. But someone else stole her attention even before they reached the heavy wooden door.

He also wore tailored clothes, a black suit with grey vest and white shirt, he looked as handsome as always. No where to be seen was that little boy who had arrived here eight years ago, proud and stoic.

Not that those traits had disappeared, no, they had just intensified over time. Now he was a tall, proud and stoic male with hard muscles, able to scare the most High Nobles with just a glare. A male she had fallen for, body, heart and soul.

And not even she went unaffected by his gaze, one look at her when the door closed behind the artisans was all it took for him to tell her what he wanted her. Which made her lick her lips and turn around, she didn't have time nor strength for that now, not when her heart was in such a sensitive state.

But almost even before she was able to pick up the sound of his heavy footsteps behind her, a warm and calloused hand gripped her left wrist and spun her around, making her come up against a hard body which radiated heat. Another hand circled her waist, pulled her even closer and then she lost all ability to think as burning lips crashed into her cold ones. Whimpering as their magics whirled around each other, matching and getting wasted before it washed over them, she pulled her hand free of his grip and put her arms around his neck and kissed him back.

Her heart started to beat hard and fast, the feeling of his Fire warming her blood making her whole body tingling. Pain could wait couldn't it?

Focusing on this, this which could be the last, she didn't notice how the hand at her waist travelled upwards, before it pulled out the hairpins which held up her coiffure. First when the black cascades fell down her back she noticed it, as Zoro pulled his fingers though it. Shivering at the touch, she broke the kiss and craned her neck, so that he could press his scorching lips to her skin there instead.

At the Dark King, she always lost to this man, she was chained to her own cravings of his touch, his warmth. Running her fingers through his short green hair, she sighted as he licked at her neck, biting back the urge to just let it go. But she knew that this wasn't the right time for this kind of things.

"Stop it... We don't have tim-" As usual, he cut off her protests my kissing her. Fighting to maintain her ability to think as his tongue stroke against hers, she furrowed her eyebrows and pulled at his hair, her heart breaking. Still, even if he stopped kissing her and instead raised his head to look into her eyes, his hands didn't stop touching her, his body didn't cool down for one bit.

"Then let's make some time..." The hand playing with her hair cupped her head instead, the other stroking the small of her back.

"I can't..." Shivers running all over her body, up and down her spine and making the hair on her arms rise, she felt how her heart speed up and she ran hot between her legs just by the fire in his eyes.

_"I can't let you touch me, it will hurt too much later. Damn it all, it's hard as it is already!"_

"Please." But he saw through her as always, instead of letting go of her he leaned down and pressed his scorching lips to her pulse point. Sucking in a trembling breath at the sensations born from that simple touch, she couldn't keep from moaning as his teeth grazed her skin.

"Just give up, it's okay to forget reality for now..." The words he whispered against her almost made tears pool up in her eyes, since it was what she truly wished to do. And so did he, she knew. Pressing her aching body against him, she tried to make her voice work again.

"Alright, but give me back my heart afterwards." The only answer she got was a searing kiss, leaving her in a desperate need of more. As always.

~\+/~

Burning heat and numbing cold, wasted magic spending them and making their breaths heavier. Hands touching and stroking, pulling closer with nails scraping at skin in the dusk. Trying to keep it slow, but getting urged on by her hands and voice, he speed up as she wanted. After all, it was the last he could do as it was him who had persuaded her into opening up to him even if she was so fragile now.

Kisses and licks, his teeth grazing at her pale skin. Watching how she arched her back into his touch, how dark his hands seemed against her flesh in the dim light, he took a pause from tormenting her bosom.

"Zoro..."

"Mm?"

"Don-don't stop... Ah~!"

"I won't." Catching her left nibble between his fingers, he rolled the rosy bud before he blew some hot air over it and licked at her sensitive knob. Moans rising from her lips, he gently sucked at her.

Never that he would be able to forget her, forget this the time he had spent with her. Not the many times they had fought, argued or been irritated as hell with each other. Not the countless times they had laughed, talked or loved with a tumulting passion. Her taste of mint and honey, it would always be his favorite, the scent of jasmine flowers would always make him smile as they made him think about her.

Eira, pure snow, she were just as the season when she had been born, he tough as he palmed her breasts and kneaded the creamy flesh.

When he licked at her solar plexus, she muffled the cry which almost escaped her lips with her hand, making him grin and repeat the action. An everlasting spring, always carrying the promise of more. Damn, he knew that he was the one closest to her, that he was the only one she told her dreams and beliefs, still he didn't know everything about her. And he would give his right arm to be able to know it all.

Rising up on his arms and looking down at her flushed body, he fisted the white linen as the harsh reality slipped uninvited into his mind. _"This might be the last time..."_

Gritting his teeth and pushing the paining thought away, he bended down and pressed his lips against hers to catch her cry as he slid his aching length inside of her wet and hot cavern. A deep shudder went through both their bodies and he felt how her arms wrapped around his shoulders, her tongue entering his mouth with a moan. Kissing back, he withdrew his hips before pushing back inside of her again.

Once again, her heat amazed him, sent his otherwise focused mind reeling. But at the same time the fingers which gripped at him were cold as ice, the magic she emitted were as ice water keeping him down to earth. Loving the contrast, he pulled back and pushed in, feeling her slick muscles squeeze him tightly along with her thighs which encircled his hips.

Repeating the action over and over again, he let her lips go as she turned her head away as she panting tried to say something. Not wanting to hear it, to let anything break this little control he still had, he pressed wet kisses to her neck, sucking at her soft spot. The groans and silent cries that made her throat vibrate made him speed up the pumping, driving them both closer to the edge.

"Ah- Zo... Zoro! Look a-at me~! Damn!" The curse made him snap his head up and look down at her. And what he saw made him stop all his movements, only the heaving of his chest and the sweat which rolled down his back moving. Blushing cheeks, open and rosy lips, teary eyes. Her shaky hand reaching up and cupping his jaw, trembling lips whispering words which made him see himself through her eyes froze him.

"Your eyes are red... Fy annwyl." A little smile from her, and he lost the control he had left. Drawing back and pounding inside of her again, he clawed at the sheets, tearing them to shreds in frustration as he couldn't keep from growling.

Why did she need to be so bloody accepting, forgiving him for everything which wasn't his fault but others looked down at him for!? For the first time ever, he squinted his eyes shut, didn't stand to look at her as passion overwhelmed him and he emptied himself inside of her as she arched herself against him and her body clenched him for the last time, milking him dry. Her cry rang in his ears, but he didn't really hear it.

Fighting his hands free from the ruined linen, he wrapped his arms tightly around her, crushing her against his chest and roaring his anger into the pillow and her hair, not caring if someone might hear him. He hated this damn bloody fate which were laughing at them right now, playing around with their lives and making them as miserable as it could.

The feeling of her chilly lips pressing kisses against his neck made him come back to the present, to the half lit room and the scent of their lovemaking lying heavy in the air of the little hidden chamber. Groaning as he pulled out of her and her legs straightened themselves out, he rolled over on his back so that she was lying on top of him instead. Stroking her hair as she nuzzled close to him, he watched her eyes fluttering closed as sleep started to take her away.

But the smile she used to fall asleep with was nowhere to be seen, instead he felt how she pressed even closer to him than usual. And he wasn't surprised. Sighting and looking up at the ceiling, a memory came to him, of how they had found this haven. He wasn't sentimental or anything, he just couldn't stand the thought of sleeping right now, anger still coiling inside of him.

That time, about one year ago, he had been sexually frustrated as hell and all but captured her against one of the bookshelves in the private library, to kiss her as much as he could before anyone came. He groaned softly at the memory of her response, her arms around his neck and kisses just as desperate as his. But the memory of the shock which had came when the shelf suddenly disappeared and they fell flat to the floor of a secret chamber made him chuckle, waking Eira up.

Looking down at her sleepy face, he pulled some of her hair behind her ear, smiling at her.

"Go back to sleep, mêl."

"Mm, you do the same, we need to go soon..." The sad look in her eyes made him cup her head and bring her up so that he could kiss her cold lips, trying desperately to erase reality.

He had brought fresh linen to the bed which stood unused in the room, stealing himself time to clean it up. His goal had been as clear as water to him, and he had gotten what he wanted. Their first time together had taken a lot of persuading from his side, it had been nervous and scaring as she had bled when he entered her. Still, it had ended good and the pride he had felt when he held her afterwards...

He wouldn't trade that for anything in Heaven, on Earth or in any of the Hells.

_"Not even for the chance to stay here?" _The little voice in his head made him end the kiss and let her lay down her head on his chest again. Yes, that might be the only thing. Since, what did he have to go back to?

Sure, he had his friends, but who knew how they had gotten during the years. _"Wonder if Ace still is depressed, or if Luffy has learned some control..."_ The memory of his friends made him smile a little, meeting them again would actually be fun. But it wasn't like he had any family to return to or anything, his only living relative was his uncle.

"Sleep, annwyl." Smiling at her murmured words, he stroke her head, hair and back one last time, before he let a blessed sleep wash over him and take him away to someplace were none of all these questions nor reality mattered.

~\+/~

Looking up at the clear blue sky as he stood beside Eira when he heard a Snow Bird chirping as it flew past, the little reindeer tried to make out his confused thoughts. No one had ever told him that Zoro didn't belong here, that he was only here as a political hostage and therefore must go home when politic called for it.

Yes, now it made sense that he used Fire based Magic instead of Ice as everyone else, but it still had felt like he belonged here just as much as anyone else. It would get very, very empty when he left, and everyone else seemed to think the very same thing. Even Sanji had taken a break from helping his foster father in the kitchen to say farewell to his rival/best friend.

Glancing over at the greenhaired teen as he said goodbye to his friend Saga and the other's father, Chopper felt how his eyes started to become watery. Why did he have to leave if he liked it here?!

He watched as the swordsman ended the conversation after a halfhug and turned against the blond Ice Devil, both just standing there and staring at each other before grasping the other's hand in a frim grip. The half Beast couldn't make out what Sanji said, but the other male started to grin and his lips moved in a respond.

Some other High Nobles shook the Fire Devil's hand, he kissed the hands of some ladies before he stopped and bowed before the Castle's Lord.

"Thank you for hosting me during these past eight years, Lord Juracule."

"It has been entertaining having you here, Lolonoa, and I hope that you will visit us again sometime." A quick pull at the corner of the swordsman's mouth, so quick that Chopper almost thought that it hadn't happened. But whatever mirth there had been in Zoro's expression disappeared as he looked at the last person he would take farewell of.

For the first time since they came out here on the courtyard, his proprietress lifted her gaze from the paved ground and the snow whirling slightly in the wind. Something in the way the two looked at each other made the reindeer swallow down hard and his eyes to widen, before he looked away because of the intensity.

Not a word were uttered, and from the corner of his eye the half Demon could see how a tanned and rough hand gripped Eira's pale and delicate one, lifting it up.

_"Is that how you will say goodbye, just a kiss on her hand? Aren't the two of you so more to each other!?"_ Getting shocked at his own reaction, the feeling of a hand ruffling his hat made him look up at the older male standing before him.

"Take care, Chopper. Make sure to treat everyone here in the castle if they get sick or injured, 'kay?"

Only being able to nod in respond, not trusting his own voice, the little reindeer felt how tears started to pour down his cheeks in floodes when he saw his friend turn around and walk away, not even glancing back. The Fire Devils and Demons who were there to escort him back to their mutual Hell greeted him again, and then they left.

Not having the strength to grasp it as he saw them disappearing away, Chopper looked up at the female standing next to him, to ask her if he really was gone now. But what he saw shocked him, even made his tears stop welling up.

Down Eira's cheeks rolled tears, and as they went they turned into pearls of ice, falling down to the ground, shattering into millions of pieces. He had heard about it, that when an Ice Devil carried true pain and sadness in their heart they cried ice. Her lips shivered ever so slightly when she opened her mouth and spoke to the vlackhaired male standing next to her.

"Father... It's cold."

~\+/~

**The end of the tale has been told, but is this really enough for covering everything which led up to  
'Can not belong to you'...?**

**A/N: **'Fy annwyl' means 'My beloved' and 'Mêl' means honey. It's Welsh, and so is Eira's name which means snow. And there will be a epilouge on this story before 'For you I will'.


	6. Epilogue

_~Epilogue~_

She had never thought that she would be able to hate this place. Sure, she had known that it would hurt every time she went through the thick wooden door without _him_ at her side, but she never thought that she would feel such rage before these shelves.

Inside nausea welled up, making her feel sick, her heart turning from icy to cold stone. Just looking at the grinning man who sat in the armchair across of her made her wanna throw up. He knew he had pressed her right with his words, giving her impossible options. Gripping her elbows even harder, boring her long nails into her own flesh, she managed to keep her voice steady and firm, draining strength from somewhere deep inside of her soul.

"So you say, unless I do as you want, all I hold dear will be crushed and spitted upon?"

"Pretty much. Even your father's and aunt's allies won't hold a chance against my warriors." The twitching in his cheek, indicating that he was about to laugh at her, made her want to take her father's sword and run it right through the violett haired man's throat. Taking a deep breath, she tried to think clear through all the dim in her skull.

_"If I don't, everyone will die, if I do, I'll crush my own heart." _Closing her eyes as she weighted everything she knew, the hair on her arms stood up. Some sixth sense warning her, she snapped her eyes open and found him standing very close to her, even his scent of too much perfume creeping up her nose.

"And not only that, if you marry me you'll become the most powerful woman in all of the Hells. Wouldn't that be something, eh?"

Who did he think he was, coming here from out of nowhere and claiming that he wanted her as his Bride, so that he could get the power of the Council of Ice? She felt like spitting at him. He wasn't a male, he was a worm, unworthy of ever having anything.

"First you threat me, and then you try to sweet talk me..." Almost whispering the words in disgust, she took a step back so they weren't so close. But he followed, not giving her space and almost making her scream to her father and the guards to throw him out of here, to kill him and humiliate him as much as possible.

"Step. Back." Cold rage spread through her body, as when she shielded the man she loved the most from the man who hurt him. And just like then, she was ready to use her magic to get her will through.

_"Stop hiding yourself, show them who really are and throw them off completely."_ Rough words whispered against her skin in the dark, aiding her strength in this moment of need. Stretching her neck and back, she looked him straight in the eye, watching him take a wary step back.

"Are you really sure you should say that? One little movement from me, and this castle will bath in blood." She watched him reach slowly inside of his west, before he pulled out a bell in the most purest of silver, adorned with a delicate pattern of snowflakes and words in the old language. The very sight of the seemingly innocent instrument made her breath hitch in her throat.

A _Gwylio o Dinistr_. With just a single tune from it's thin bell, anyone who had sworn legacy to the one holding it would destroy that person's enemies, the magic in it granting them strength beyond any Devil or Demon.

Feeling her knees almost giving out and sending her down to kneel on the floor, she couldn't stop staring at it. Without that, he would never had been able to convince her, she had too much faith in her father and his men, to much faith in that old prediction she had been giving as an infant. Great luck and love had come to her, carried her through pain and sadness. Even as the one she loved was taken from her, she had never truly doubted it.

"_'Dinistrio popeth a holl fel atal fy hun'_, 'Destroy everything and all who hinder me'. Hm, I wonder who more than the people in this castle would get killed... Ah, who cares?" As he read the inscription on the bell aloud, she felt cold dread spread through her body. Everyone who hindered him, everything which held her from telling him 'yes'.

Nervously licking her lips, she watched him look at her with a twisted amusement in his eyes. That sick grin of his was still on his lips, making her stomach turn over once again. Fighting back her instincts to throw up, to freeze him to a ice statue, to flee, she opened her mouth once again, feeling something black and cold spread through every fiber of her being.

She didn't recognize the cold voice with which she spoke, stopped feeling the soft silk which caressed her skin at every move she made, as she with four little words crushed herself and the hearts of the ones she loved.

"Alright, I'll marry you." Seeing his grin widen, her heart made one last beat before it fell down into darkness, shattering in millions of frozen pieces. "But you'll never have my heart nor my first of anything, since all that I have already given away."

"Ah, don't worry about that. If any man ever touch you, I'll just have to kill him! Wa ha ha ha ha!" But now, not even hearing his laugh made her feel anything. She was just cold, having frozen herself down almost to her very core, where she hid away from the outer world, hoping that she would be able to protect what she loved.

And so she stayed, until that one ball, when her heart once again started to beat, started to pain again. But before that, deep inside of herself, she choose not to see the pain in her father's eyes, ignoring the wondering and pitiful gazes others gave her. She was dead.

_~The End~_


End file.
